Human rights lawyer and member of the Independent Investigative Committee, Deji Adeyanju, has revealed that the detention cell where miners died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State was cleaned, disinfected and renumbered before independent investigators could examine the facility.
Adeyanju disclosed this in a post on his X account following the presentation of the committee’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to Adeyanju, the alteration of the detention facility raised concerns about possible attempts to destroy evidence relating to the deaths of 33 detainees, including 14 minors.
“NSCDC Cell was washed clean, disinfected, renumbered in attempt to destroy evidence after death of 33 miners,” Adeyanju wrote, sharing an update from the committee’s findings.
The revelation comes as the committee concluded that the deaths resulted from asphyxiation caused by overcrowding, poor ventilation, heat stress and dehydration, dismissing suggestions that a disease outbreak was responsible.
Presenting the report, committee chairman and former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, said the deaths were preventable and resulted from serious failures in the handling and supervision of the detainees.
“The committee concluded that the incident was a preventable custodial tragedy caused by severe overcrowding, unlawful and unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, disregard of repeated distress warnings, inadequate supervision, and wider systemic deficiencies,” Kure said.
The committee was established following a directive by President Bola Tinubu to investigate the deaths of suspects arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in Niger State.
Although initial reports indicated that 37 detainees had died, the panel authenticated 33 deaths and identified 41 survivors.
The victims were among those arrested during operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State. They died while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna between September 16 and September 17.
According to the report, medical and forensic findings established that the victims suffered environmental asphyxia after spending prolonged periods in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated detention cell.
The committee also found that approximately 50 male detainees had been held in a cell measuring about 20 square metres, with inadequate ventilation, no running water, poor lighting and no functioning toilet.
Food and drinking water were either unavailable or grossly inadequate, while adults and minors were detained together.
Kure said the conditions in the facility violated constitutional safeguards, provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Child Rights Act, as well as accepted international standards on the treatment of detainees.
The report further revealed that detainees repeatedly banged on the cell doors and walls, shouted for help and pleaded for water as conditions deteriorated overnight.
“Despite clear evidence that conditions inside the cell had become life-threatening, officers responsible for detainee welfare failed to open the cell, to decongest the facility, or arrange emergency intervention,” Kure said.
The committee established that the deaths occurred between 8pm on September 16 and 7am on September 17, when the cell was eventually opened.
The panel also examined allegations that an aerosol substance had been sprayed into the detention cell before the deaths. However, it found no evidence to support the claim.
Nevertheless, investigators expressed concern that the detention area had been cleaned, disinfected and altered before independent forensic investigators arrived. The detention register for September 16 was also unavailable.
Following the presentation of the report, Tunji-Ojo directed the NSCDC Commandant-General to immediately suspend officers allegedly involved in cleaning the detention centre and potentially destroying evidence.
The minister said the Federal Government would not allow the investigation to become another exercise designed to calm public anger without delivering justice to the victims and their families.
“The best gift we can give to the deceased is justice. And justice must be done,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He added that the report would be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for further judicial action, while the Ministry of Interior would review the administrative recommendations and work with the NSCDC on institutional reforms.
The minister also warned that officers implicated in the concealment or destruction of evidence would face suspension pending investigations and disciplinary proceedings.
“It’s the era of setting up committees just to douse tension. It’s not now,” he said.
The committee identified leadership failures and professional misconduct among several officers, including the state commandant, the head of the investigation unit and personnel responsible for detainee welfare.
According to the report, the state commandant authorised and supervised the operation without proper planning or oversight, allowed overcrowding and subsequently attributed the deaths to a disease outbreak.
Other officers were accused of failing to respond to distress calls, maintaining unlawful detention conditions, detaining minors without adequate protection and participating in the alteration of the detention area.
The panel recommended the prosecution of culpable officers for offences including murder, criminal negligence, torture and inhuman treatment, where applicable. It also called for further investigations into allegations of extortion and the mismanagement of exhibits.
The committee further recommended the summary dismissal of the state commandant and officers found directly responsible for the deaths, alongside administrative sanctions for other personnel whose failures contributed to the tragedy.
On compensation, the panel proposed N30 million for each of the 33 bereaved families and N10 million for each of the 41 survivors. The proposed compensation package amounts to approximately N1.4 billion.
It also recommended educational support for the dependants of the deceased, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological support for affected families and a formal apology from the Federal Government.
“The committee concludes that the death of 33 detainees, including 14 minors, was entirely preventable,” Kure said.
The panel also called for a comprehensive overhaul of the NSCDC’s leadership and operations, including the provision of standard detention facilities, the installation of CCTV cameras in custodial areas, improved emergency medical response, stronger oversight and enhanced human rights training.
